Symptoms

Exams and Tests

Amblyopia is usually easily diagnosed with a complete examination of the eyes. Special tests are usually not needed.

Treatment

First, any eye condition that is causing poor vision in the amblyopic eye (such as cataracts) needs to be corrected.

Children with a refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism) will need glasses.

Next, a patch is placed on the normal eye. This forces the brain to recognize the image from the eye with amblyopia. Sometimes, drops are used to blur the vision of the normal eye instead of putting a patch on it.

Strabismus

Children whose vision will not fully recover, and those with only good eye due to any disorder should wear glasses with protective polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate glasses are shatter- and scratch-resistant.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Children who get treated before age 5 will usually recover almost completely normal vision, although they may continue to have problems with depth perception.

Delaying treatment can result in permanent vision problems. After age 10, only a partial recovery of vision can be expected.

Possible Complications

Eye muscle problems that may require several surgeries, which can have complications

Permanent vision loss in the affected eye

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call for an appointment with your health care provider or ophthalmologist if you suspect a vision problem in a young child.

Prevention

Early recognition and treatment of the problem in children can help to prevent permanent visual loss. All children should have a complete eye examination at least once between ages 3 and 5.

Special techniques are needed to measure visual acuity in a child who is too young to speak. Most eye care professionals can perform these techniques.

Visual acuity test - illustration

Visual acuity tests may be performed in many different ways. It is a quick way to detect vision problems and is frequently used in schools or for mass screening. Driver license bureaus often use a small device that can test the eyes both together and individually.

Visual acuity test

illustration

Walleyes - illustration

People are very sensitive to other individuals' eye positions. By looking at another person's eye position, one can very effectively gauge where they are looking. People are also sensitive to eyes that are not looking in the same direction, which is referred to as crossed eyes (strabismus). Other more specific medical terms refer to eyes turned either outward or inward, or that are abnormally rotated. Any appearance of crossed eyes in young children should be immediately evaluated, as should recent onset of crossed eyes in an adult.

Walleyes

illustration

Visual acuity test - illustration

Visual acuity tests may be performed in many different ways. It is a quick way to detect vision problems and is frequently used in schools or for mass screening. Driver license bureaus often use a small device that can test the eyes both together and individually.

Visual acuity test

illustration

Walleyes - illustration

People are very sensitive to other individuals' eye positions. By looking at another person's eye position, one can very effectively gauge where they are looking. People are also sensitive to eyes that are not looking in the same direction, which is referred to as crossed eyes (strabismus). Other more specific medical terms refer to eyes turned either outward or inward, or that are abnormally rotated. Any appearance of crossed eyes in young children should be immediately evaluated, as should recent onset of crossed eyes in an adult.